America Turns 250

THIS SPRING, LEAN INTO THE UNEXPECTED

Bull riders on the beach. Tall ships in the harbor. Axe throwing, a live reading of the Declaration of Independence, colonial homes you can actually walk through, and a lumberjack festival that must be seen to be believed. VA250 in Coastal Virginia is not your average history lesson and it runs all year long.

Stars, Stripes and Spurs

April 24–26 · Virginia Beach Oceanfront

A military appreciation weekend at the Oceanfront: free concerts by nationally recognized artists at 24th Street Park both evenings (7–10 p.m.), plus the Bulls & Barrels Beach Rodeo on the sand at 3rd Street. Concert admission is free; rodeo general admission starts at $41.55.

Celebrating 100 Years of Constantia

April 26 · Suffolk

The Constantia Chapter NSDAR opens the John Constant House (circa 1720) for tours, an exhibit, and light refreshments, 2–5 p.m. Free.

“Beyond the Call” Art Exhibit

April 28–June 12 · Suffolk Art Gallery

The Suffolk Art Gallery partnered with the USO to exhibit work by active duty service members, veterans, and their families. Free to visit.

Lumberjack Festival

May 2 · Franklin

Axe throwing, logrolling, carving competitions, kids’ activities, live music, and food on South Main Street. 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Miss Lilly’s Happy 250th Birthday America!

May 9 · Miss Lilly’s Trading Post, Suffolk

An outdoor market and birthday celebration, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

32nd Annual Heritage Day

May 9 · Southampton Agriculture & Forestry Museum, Courtland

The Heritage Village opens for butter churning, blacksmithing, grits milling, beekeeping, spinning, and weaving. Free, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Two-Day Naval Living History Encampment

May 16–17 · Riddick’s Folly House Museum, Suffolk

Marks the anniversary of the sinking of the Galley Norfolk Revenge with living history interpreters, a period campsite, sutlers, and children’s activities. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days.

SAIL250 ARRIVES IN JUNE

Sail250® Virginia is one of five official national partner ports for the country’s semiquincentennial. The centerpiece: a 26-nautical-mile Parade of Sail on Friday, June 19. The fleet of 60+ ships from 20+ countries departs the Lynnhaven Roads anchorage at 7:30 a.m. and arrives at Town Point Park in downtown Norfolk at noon. Fifteen public viewing sites line the route. The U.S. Navy Blue Angels fly over during the 4.5-hour parade (exact time to be announced). But there’s more. Hampton, Smithfield, Chesapeake, Portsmouth and the Eastern Shore host tall ships and festivals to enjoy.

Smithfield Maritime Rendezvous
June 12–14 · Smithfield & Isle of Wight
The regional celebration starts here, a week before Norfolk. Free tours of historic character boats at Smithfield Station, knot-tying, touch tanks, a boardwalk art show, plein air painters, and Isle of Wight Museum walking tours. Trades Day at the 1750 Isle of Wight Courthouse features sail-making and ham-curing demos. Saturday evening: drone air show at Windsor Castle Park, 9–9:30 p.m.

Sail250® Virginia in Norfolk
June 19–23 · Downtown Norfolk Waterfront
Five miles of continuous waterfront. Ten tall ship docking locations. Free deck tours daily. Confirmed vessels include training ships from Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, France, Peru, and the Netherlands. Festival events run noon to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. On Sunday, June 21, the Parade of Cadets steps off at 11 a.m. when crews from every visiting ship marching through downtown Norfolk together.

SAIL250® Chesapeake
June 19-20 Great Bridge Battlefield & Waterways Museum
A once-in-a-generation VA250 celebration on the Intracoastal Waterway. Tour the Sultana, a full-scale reproduction of a 1768 British schooner, docked all weekend with working sails and a crew who knows her story plank by plank. Free and open to the public from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days. Live music, food trucks, artisan vendors, kids’ crafts, and living history reenactors demonstrating spinning, weaving, barrel making, and quill writing. The Great Bridge Battlefield & Waterways Museum is open alongside the festival (admission separate) with the story of Chesapeake’s role in the fight for American independence.

SailFest Cape Charles
June 19–21 · Cape Charles, Eastern Shore
Four confirmed vessels the Kalmar Nyckel, Lynx, AJ Meerwald, and Luna with free ship tours noon to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Add a Saturday evening fireworks show over the harbor, live music all afternoon, and sailing lessons from Cape Charles Community Sailing.

SUMMER & FALL: IT’S VA250 ALL YEAR

VA250 runs all year across Coastal Virginia, and the calendar is packed. Fireworks kick off early in Chesapeake on July 3 with the Celebrate Freedom Concert and then keep going city by city through the Fourth. Beyond the fireworks, there’s the 757 Battle of the Beers, the Run to Remember honoring fallen service members, the NAS Oceana Air Show, cultural exhibits, and more running spring through fall.

Celebrate Freedom Concert and Fireworks Spectacular
July 3 Chesapeake City Park, Chesapeake
Chesapeake celebrates Freedom on July 3 so be sure to visit their incredible fireworks and family fun activities. July 3, Gates open at 5 p.m. music at 7 p.m, and fireworks by Pyrotecnico at 9:30pm

Stars & Stripes Spectacular
July 4 · Constant’s Wharf Park & Marina, Suffolk
Fireworks and celebration, 6–9:30 p.m.

Patriots in the Park
July 8 · Downtown Festival Park, Suffolk
July 8 is the 250th anniversary of the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence. Suffolk and the Daughters of the American Revolution Suffolk Chapter mark it with an official reading of the Declaration, Civil Air Patrol presentation of colors, fife and drum, a brass quintet, colonial living history reenactors, and food vendors. Free, 5–8 p.m.

“Through the Trenches” Exhibit
June 18–August 1 · Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts
An all-veteran artist exhibition with Steven Luu as featured artist. A companion documentary screens Saturday, July 11.

13th Annual 757 Battle of the Beers
September 5 · Virginia Beach
This year’s edition is themed to honor the 250th anniversary. State Military Reservation, 203 Red Horse Drive. General admission starts at $65. 1–6:30 p.m.

2026 NAS Oceana Air Show
September 19–20 · Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia Beach
Free general admission, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Bleacher and reserved seating available.

Salute to Veterans 5k
November 7 · Suffolk
A morning run with registration required via Tidewater Striders.

EAT, SIP & EXPLORE

Walking Food Tour
June 13 · Smithfield
Tasting-size servings from several downtown restaurants. $59, 2–4 p.m.

Sunset Cruise aboard the Sigsbee
June 13 · Smithfield Station
An evening on the Pagan River departing from Smithfield Station. $79.

Smithfield Farmers Market
June 13 · BSV Parking Lot, Main Street, Smithfield
Produce, plants, honey, hot food, crafts, and live music. 9 a.m. to noon. Free.

American 250 Painted Rocks Hunt
Ongoing · Suffolk
Pick up a free rock at the Suffolk Visitor Center, paint it, hide it, and track it at SuffolkVa250.com.